The Scarred Ones
by tokidokismile
Summary: Alright this is my first TWD fanfic. ; This actually based on the events of the comic book, so MAJOR SPOILERS! Please don't read if your not up to date on comics to issue 150 or the third compendium. Has to with events revolving around Carl's decisions and how they affect the people around him, and a new person. May continue...?
1. Chapter 1

Panic set in like a noose around his neck, every second that passed it coiled tighter. Making it harder to breath, harder to think. He'd lost sight of her, he had no clue where she'd gone and with everything going on between The Hilltop and Alexandria he felt uneasy immediately. What if someone tried to hurt her again? He dashed out of the open gate, the road looked clear peaceful even. He strained his eye in the open clear vastness, no sign of anyone, no Walkers and no Whisperers. He turned right and ran along the perimeter of The Hilltop's primary defense. He came around the corner of The Hilltop wall fast and came to a jolting stop.

Lydia was on the ground her knife in her hand raised defensively. Between her and himself stood an unfamiliar figure with a sword on its hip, not any sword like the one Jesus used but a katana like Michonne used. The slight figure had its back to him, its attention on Lydia. It's hand resting on the hilt of its sword attached to its right hip.

He quickly drew his gun and aimed it at the figure, but before he could even make a demand. The figure had grabbed his wrist twisting it as it ducked around him on his right side and struck him in the back of the knee, knocking him down and stripping the gun from him in one fluid motion.

"That things loud," The figure hissed in a feminine voice as it took the gun apart and dropped it on the ground. He turned his body to be able to see this infuriating stranger. Her hand still lingering on her sword hilt. Her large dark eyes drifted lazily, almost bored from him to the blonde girl. "This the boy you were talking about?"

"I'm not a kid!" He snapped angrily.

"Her words not mine," She responded gingerly not taking her eyes off the blonde girl as she picked herself up cautiously.

"If you try anything, you're going to be dead-" He warned in a growl. Her eyes shot back at him and she gave an exhausted sigh.

"What is it with you people?" She asked annoyed her short bangs falling over her brown eyes. "Do you usually attack ally scouts without provocation?"

"Ally scouts?" The boy asked suspiciously getting back on his feet, he scanned the ground the pieces were scattered there was no way he could reach them all and reassemble them before she dispatched him with her sword. He'd seen what a sword could do many times. She shifted her hips showing him the tiger engraved in the hilt of her sword.

"I'm from the Kingdom. A Scout belonging to the Late King Ezekiel." She explained. "I'm here as an envoy to the new ruler. _This one_ attacked me as I examined The Hilltop's walls."

She yawned suddenly and stretched her arms wide, as she tilted her head side to side popping her neck.

"I believe you know my Master." She murmured as she turned to directly face him. "She warned you weren't keeping civil company..."

He glared sharply at her, there couldn't possibly be any connection between him and this girl. Her face unmoved stared at him until her eyes shifted up.

"Carl, Mercy," The familiar voice called. "What's going on?"

He looked at the very familiar dark skinned woman with the katana slung behind her back. Then he looked back at the dark haired girl as she knelt before her.

" _This was Mercy?_ " He thought, as she stood back up.

"Nothing ma'am, just a misunderstanding." She reported briskly.

Michonne looked at the girl quizzically, as her eyes shifted over each of them. The blonde girl, Mercy, and then over at Carl.

The girl rose back to her feet her eyes on Michonne as she spoke.

"I'm heading inside Maggie and Andrea are waiting for me. See that you get yourselves inside, they're about to close gates for the day." She spoke to all of them, she locked eyes with Mercy and a message was exchanged though no words were spoken. The girl nodded and Michonne turned leaving them as she'd found them.

The girl spun back around leisurely to face the two, she looked at him and then locked eyes with the girl. They stared silently at each other, both of their faces unchanged as she turned back around one last time.

"Get your shit together." She replied in a tone that made it seem like she was fed up with him. He was more than a little shocked, more than that irritated.

With no other exchange she followed in her Master's steps back toward the safety of The Hilltop interior.

* * *

"What happened? What were you doing out here?" He demanded as he picked up the pieces of his gun, trying to put it back together.

"I wasn't doing anything, I needed to get out from inside. It was too much. I've never had walls keeping me in Carl!" She explained as she watched him struggle, finally he pocketed an internal piece of the gun and slid a couple piece back into place. "I feel like a prisoner; I know your people feel safe in there but it feels just like that pit you found me in."

Carl nodded, sympathetically as he reached back for her hand as a way to make amends.

"The gate is open Lydia, nobody's a prisoner." He explained as they started back towards the gate. "Just don't run off, things aren't good if anyone finds out that you belonged with the Whisperers you could get hurt."

She nodded resting her head against his shoulder as they continued on. Carl sighed heavily, the tension finally easing in him. Still his fingers lingered on his pistol- his currently useless pistol.

His mind wandered to what he'd come upon earlier.

"Hey what happened with that girl?" He asked finally, she lifted her head to look up at him, as he looked down at her.

"She came out of nowhere and pushed me." Lydia began. "I got the knife you gave me but she knocked me down with her sword and that's when you came up."

"Hmm..." He replied thoughtfully, the scene he'd interrupted, didn't resemble her story. Of course Mercy's vague answer to Michonne wasn't any more helpful. He smiled down at her and she did the same as she once again rested her head on his shoulder.


	2. Chapter 2

A single knock came from the other side of the fine oak door. Not any knock a solid one, softly echoed by the clink of metal, a sound very familiar to Michonne. She looked at the other two women and nodded.

The door opened after a pause and Mercy stepped into the room. She was a slim girl, her skin a toasty caramel color and her dark hair in a messy unfinished top knot. She looked pretty normal though two things stuck out, her large earth brown eyes and the black hilted sword on her right hip.

"Andrea, Maggie, this is ..." Michonne paused, she regularly did so many things for her that she wasn't sure what the appropriate title should be.

"Her life-saver." Mercy replied with a little smirk. Michonne nodded and shook her head.

"Among many other things, Mercy." She finished. "Mercy this is Andrea, and Maggie."

The girl nodded and bowed deeply. She'd been raised under King Ezekiel and still young, but when the peace between the communities was brokered and the Saviors' Tyrant defeated everyone knew the names of the Alexandrian men and women involved.

She was among great women. Maggie the short dark haired woman and leader of The Hilltop, she'd lost her husband at the very beginning, but had come to be the pillar of The Hilltop. Andrea the amazing sniper and second in command to Rick Grimes from Alexandria, both people Michonne told her many stories about. Finally, her Master herself, a self-taught swordswoman. She'd heard of her feats from others and knew her kindness first hand, from the time she had spent at the Kingdom along-side King Ezekiel.

After the death of King Ezekiel, she'd felt many things that she'd never dealt with. It was Michonne who helped put names on her feelings. It was Michonne who helped let go of the blinding rage and focus her anger on the head of a pin. A precise, compact and singular wrath. In order that she wasn't consumed by it. Everything Michonne explained made sense in the clearest form, it kept her from being stupid. It kept her alive, and in this world that was everything.

"I'm truly honored to meet all of you." She replied in quite a bubbly voice, the smile clear on her face as she rose back to her feet. "Truly."

"The Whisperer girl, what happened?" Andrea asked getting started with business.

"I got ahead as ordered and observed the perimeter, there were no signs of walkers or these Whispers. As I watched I saw the girl Master had described leave the wall, I followed her. I didn't see her do anything before she spotted me. However, immediately she attacked me. Maybe she honestly felt I was a threat, maybe she hoped to get rid of me ahead of time. I don't know. But I don't trust her and he is stupefied."

"So at least we know that the expanded clear zone is intact. No roamers, means no Whisperers." Maggie surmised. "I'll make sure we continue expanding the clear zone and keep watch as far as we can see."

"It's the best thing we can do. Rick said that they were able to hide in amongst those things and herd them. We'll have the advantage, so long as we remain watchful. There's no way a massive herd would be easy to miss." Andrea reassured.

"If you are expanding the clear zone, I'd be careful on the south and west side. When I caught her we were on the south side, she might have been headed to the west side though." Mercy added, Maggie nodded.

"I'll make sure Paul knows." Maggie replied writing a quick note.

Andrea shook her head and gave a heavy sigh. "The Hilltop is pretty secure with its high vantage point. But what about the other communities?"

"All we can do right now is communicate that they need to expand their patrols and be careful for any _undead_ that might not actually be _dead_." Michonne replied gruffly. "Make sure we send a message back home and to the other communities as soon as possible."

"I'll get the boys on it right away, they've been looking for an excuse to ride hard." Mercy replied.

"Make sure it's just there and back, they are not permitted to engage any dead at this time." Michonne added, Mercy nodded and turned to exit.

"Carl!" Andrea asked suddenly. "What happened with him?"

Mercy turned back around.

"He wasn't with her at first, he came up on us. He drew his gun pretty quick. I didn't like it, he felt too ready to go for it, so I had to neutralize him." Mercy explained, Andrea nodded as she rubbed her temple, trying to think. "From what boss said it's exactly what happened. I'm pretty sure she's playing him."

"Though," Mercy continued. "I have to say that from what I'd heard about the Son of Rick Grimes, I'm a little disappointed. I didn't imagine he be a colossal idiot."

Michonne laughed and an abrupt guffaw escaped Maggie's lips. Andrea cringed unable to deny the truth of the current situation. Her adopted son bamboozled by his first love, how she'd hoped it'd be Sophia or at least something manageable, this was way out of hand and now involved four communities and hordes of the dead. Talk about Romeo and Juliet of the dead!

"That's the thing girly, good or bad a woman can do that to a man, no matter how strong they are. Check the bible." Andrea grumbled getting up. "It was good to meet you Mercy, see you."

"Yes M' Lady." She replied promptly with a bow. Andrea looked at Michonne curious by her unique behavior.

"Ezekiel." Michonne mouthed with a saddened smile. Andrea nodded the boisterous and bombastic persona of the Late King. Andrea returned a halfhearted smile as she departed first.

"It was the same here. Thank you for the new information I have to make sure my men get it." Maggie replied moving to the door as well. "Stay here as long as you like and make sure you join us for dinner tonight."

"Thank you, ma'am." Mercy replied bowing to her as well.

"Hey," Michonne called stopping her. "Maybe for the time it would be a good idea to keep the gates closed until we've got this thing sorted?"

Maggie nodded and Michonne gave her a silent wave as the door closed behind her.

"Mercy come over here sit down." Michonne called, Mercy moved over and sat down on the floor her legs crossed looking up at Michonne. She'd long given up trying to get her out of her quirks when she and Ezekiel were together.

"You're right. Women can do that. In the old world, we always thought men made all the rules. But that was never true. You're only weak when you believe their bullshit. You give them your power, you're theirs. Boys and men they're the same. Girls and women are too."

"I'm- I'm not weak..." Mercy murmured unsure her brow furrowed. Michonne nodded understanding her misinterpretation, she was in fact not weak, she'd endured like everyone else to live to this day.

"You're not." Michonne reassured as she reached down and rested her hand over her heart. "But in here we are all weak and we are all the same."

Mercy could feel Michonne's hand over her heart, as she struggled to understand. Nothing had been more confusing before.

"There's two kinds of love in this world, the kind that is given and the kind that is taken. When you both give, it's beautiful. When only one gives or the other one only takes that's an act of war." Michonne explained. "That boy is completely taken."

Mercy nodded as she worked through it, trying to get it to make sense. It was the love thing; she didn't get it. She'd never had it, and so she kept getting stuck like the records King Ezekiel used to play. Where the needle would get stuck and play the same verse or word over and over again. "Love."

She looked back up at Michonne.

"Can we help him?" She asked truly wondering if one could be saved from love.

Michonne thought about it for as second as she leaned back in the chair. Could you help someone in love? Right now, anything anybody said about her would be static. He could not be reasoned with. He'd even left the safety of The Hilltop to chase after her. Her people had murdered their friends and family, but as far as she knew she had no blood on her hands. If she was lying, if she was playing him, what was she hoping to get out of him? How long would her game stretch?

"No." Michonne said finally. "He'll have to see for himself, he'll find it on his own. Hopefully it won't be too late."

There was a sharp pang of unease in Mercy's heart. She didn't like this, this extended so much further. This stupid boy could destroy the whole damn world.

"I need you to do something for me," Michonne began.

"I'd do anything for you, boss." Mercy replied brightly, Michonne gave a small understanding smile.

"It's going to be tough. Try and get close to them. Just to make sure, I need to keep him safe." Michonne explained. Mercy nodded, she looked genuinely concerned.

"Absolutely Master." Mercy replied. "I won't fail you."

* * *

"Mom!" Carl called coming up on her familiar form, Andrea turned her head to look at Carl as she quickly looked back to dispatch the rider.

"Hey," She replied hugging him. "Where's Lydia?"

He paused he knew she asked more out of a concern of her than about her.

"She's good she's in my room at the house." He replied. "You talked to Michonne?"

"Yeah, she's good."

"How's the whole Kingdom thing?" He asked, trying to inquire without being too straight out.

"Tough, but the people know her already and she has that girl-" She explained.

"That girl?" He asked trying play down that he'd already encountered her. Andrea looked at him, her head angled as if she was trying to read his intention.

"Yeah I heard you pointed your gun at her before she took it away." She replied in her smart-alecky tone.

"Took it apart more like it." He grumbled annoyed, the sneaky route was foiled. "The girl what's her deal?"

Andrea looked at him, she was pretty sure that by now Lydia had already spun her version of events. Truth or not he'd probably not listen to what she had to relay about the events.

"What did Lydia tell you happened?" Andrea asked, Carl grumbled annoyed.

"Mom, come on. Don't start that."

"Fine." She said briskly dropping it. "I don't know her deal. All I know is she's Michonne's loyal vassal."

Carl looked at her trying to figure out that last word, he was sure he'd heard it before.

"Like a servant right?" Carl asked.

"Gotta get some more reading done." She teased as she ruffled his hair, trying to make peace between them. The Lydia thing was a contentious issue between the three of them, but it didn't change their feelings for one another in the slightest. They'd get through this like everything else.

"She's pretty interesting." Andrea murmured. "She and Michonne are going to be at dinner, are you?"

Carl looked at her. "Yeah, with Lydia. You okay with that?"

"Do I have choice?" She asked rhetorically, as Carl gave her the annoyed parent look.


	3. Chapter 3

Mercy paused, when she'd arrived she'd been so focused on her task that she hadn't really taken the place in. Sure she knew where she could find cover in a pinch, advantageous sniper positions, the best place to hole up, and the best way to get out and over the walls.

But she hadn't taken the time to see it, in its green space, buildings, and living things, and the grand house at its center. This was the first time she was actually at another community. She'd been all over the Kingdom, and the cluttered urban emptiness around it.

She'd already dispatched Roger and Mack to relay the update. The Kingdom didn't have the advantage The Hilltop had. The thought made her stop and worry again, Andrea had a point. These Whisperer's she hadn't yet encounter, hiding among the dead, numbers unknown, unclear intentions, and no communication. They were a threat.

Since the very first time King Ezekiel gave her an opportunity, she'd chosen to protect what he'd given her: a chance, a choice, a life. They took all those things from him, and she was useless to do a thing, she knew who might be responsible, she'd heard a name. But she'd end as many as she needed to find the **one**. That blonde girl was one, so close, so possible...

Suddenly she paused as a sweet smell flooded her nose, it made her mouth water as she dashed off in the direction of the enticing smell. She passed the roughly built exterior structures, until she came to the large mess hall the smell was coming from inside, she poked her head in. The interior was busy full on men, women and youths busy working with food.

She slipped in, and slipped past the people to the great barbeque pit, they had a very similar one at the Kingdom, they split and old metal barrel and repurposed it as a great grill to cook communal meals, the meat racks were lined with nearly done ears of corn, the sweet smell so tempting.

"Well hello there?" A cheerful voice called. "Who are you?"

Mercy looked up at the smiling older woman peering down past her glasses at her.

"Mercy," She replied straightening up and bowing. "I'm an envoy from the Kingdom."

The woman smiled.

"Hello dear, I'm Susan. Did the smell bring you in?" She replied with a kind smile. Mercy nodded honestly. "I'd love to give you some but it's gonna be for dinner. Well, unless you have something you can trade?"

Mercy thought about it, she'd left her pack in Michonne's room over at the mansion. She didn't have anything on her but some absolutely necessary things. She carried no jewelry or anything that might slow her down or get her caught. even her hair was pretty short... Her sword!

"I can do a trick with my sword?" She proposed, Susan looked at her interested.

"Alright." Susan approved. "Show me."

"I need your help, though..."

"What do you need dear?"

"Can you throw me an ear of corn?" She asked with a grin, Susan looked at her and obliged grabbing a small ear with the tongs as she tossed it into the air. In the blink of an eye Mercy had cut the ear in two and caught both pieces in her hand. She bounced the hot ears gingerly in her right hand, as she handed the other half back over to Susan.

Susan laughed impressed as she slid the half on to a towel and wrapped it up.

"Well that's definitely a trick worth an ear." She replied as she handed her the other half of the ear of corn.

"Thank you." Mercy smiled as she tied the towel on her belt loop and slipped back out of the mess hall. Once outside she unclipped her sword and plopped down on the ground outside by the door, it seemed everyone was busy with a job to do. It was the same at the Kingdom except right now, she wasn't too sure how to do this job Michonne had asked of her. She peeled back the blackened leaves of the corn and pulled off the fine singed hairs as she bit into the juicy sweet corn cob, each kernel exploding in deliciousness. The juice splashed on her cheeks and chin as she took another big bite and chewed contently. She'd look a mess, and she'd probably have kernels stuck in her teeth but it was a small price to pay to enjoy such fresh deliciousness.

She paused as she wiped her bare arm over her face. She was being observed by a pair of boys, they seemed to be close to her age. Their faces looked very bruised and banged up. She stared back at them, as she chewed her snack before taking another bite. They seemed angry about something, but she didn't know them and didn't rightly care. However, taking note of the civilian's moods was important, unhappy people could lead to problems. She looked them over again, registering them in her mind in order to mention them to Maggie later. The boys moved on without incident as well.

* * *

He was stopped suddenly by what he caught out of the corner of his good eye. It was that sword girl; she was in the back, behind Earl's blacksmith workshop. Sword in hand moving slowly deliberately.

"Spied her with your good eye did ya?" Earl joked leaning over the counter at him, half a sandwich in his hand. Carl looked over at him as he stepped closer losing sight of her behind the workshop. "She's on the young side for me, but damn if I can't appreciate that form!"

Earl laughed loudly at his own sketchy comment. "She asked if she could borrow the back of my workshop to practice. She traded me half an ear of corn to go with my late lunch."

Carl smiled amused as he nodded.

"When are you going to be coming back in?" Earl asked earnestly taking another bite of his sandwich. Carl looked up at him before everything with Lydia his reason for leaving Alexandria in the first place was to come apprentice under Earl Sutton the blacksmith.

"I don't know, there's stuff I gotta take care of, you know?" Carl explained vaguely, hoping it would be enough to buy time. Nothing was supposed to be this complicated, how did things get so messed up?

"Well, when you get it sorted out come on back." Earl replied heading back to his lunch. Carl nodded as he moved toward the back of the workshop.

He stood quietly observing the new stranger. She was practicing her sword maneuvers. It reminded him of Michonne. Except thinking about it, he never saw her practicing. He only ever saw her in action, her sword flawlessly striking down adversaries both living and dead. In contrast, the girl's movements were fluid but slow, deliberate and strong.

She sheathed her sword as knelt down, her breathing slow and calm as she stayed put a second, her left hand resting on the hilt of her sword as her right leg crept up slowly. Suddenly she drew her sword in a fast horizontal slash as she drew it from its sheath. Just as quickly with both hands she raised her sword over her head and slashed downward hard and then she sheathed her sword again.

She positioned herself again, and just like before drew her sword quickly made some fast slashes and this time adding a strong lung. Jerking the sword back, she spun behind her imaginary target and angled her sword up for the final a decapitation strike.

He couldn't help staring at her, the glistening tone of her warm caramel skin. The steady hard heaving of her chest as she caught her breath. Suddenly he realized her dark eyes were steadfastly on him.

"Hey," He murmured waving at her awkwardly. "I just wanted to say, sorry about the gun thing."

An unexpected smile broke across her face as she sheathed her sword.

"No harm. Not the first time, sure as hell won't be the last time." She replied pushing her hair back away from her face, only for it tumble back into place.

"Isn't that a fact." He replied without thinking, she laughed and it caught him off guard.

"You're pretty good, did you learn from Michonne?" He asked trying to change the subject.

"King Ezekiel actually." She replied cutting the distance between them in half. "But Michonne taught me some avant-garde stuff."

He smiled, looking at her from a closer angle. "She does have some awesome moves."

Conversation was tough, too kid for adult conversation, too adult for kid talk.

"I met your mom," She replied trying to find something to keep the words going. "She says you're a good shot."

He looked down at his gun holstered just under his right hand, finally put back together the way it was supposed to be.

"Thought these things were loud?" He asked wryly. She laughed, her earlier words coming back out from him.

"Even loud things have their uses." She replied.

"Not for you. You didn't have one on you earlier or now." He said motioning down to her stripped down attire, she raised an eyebrow at his observations. She nodded slowly acceptingly, as she stepped closer to him her hands behind her back, a strangely beguiling posture on her.

She raised her face her eyes fluttering a smile across her face, as she suddenly lunged her knife's blade at his collar.

His heart jumped both by the sudden closeness and the knife's cold blunt edge resting on his exposed collar bone.

"I prefer the quiet way." She replied in a delicate hiss. "Now we're even for the gun thing, Carl Grimes."

With that she lowered her knife and slipped it back into the sheath attached to her back belt loop. She stepped right and walked on past him heading off towards The Hilltop center, she smiled quite amused.


	4. Chapter 4

"Mercy!" Maggie called waving her over, she turned spotting the brunette with a dark-haired baby in her arms. "Come on over!"

She smiled as she walked past the rows and rows of tables packed with lively civilians. At the table Andrea sat across from her, with an empty bench next to her, while Michonne sat at the other end, she waved at her as she took a drink of her water. Next to her sat a young short-haired blonde girl.

"Mercy, this is Hershel," She smiled bobbing the baby into her arms. Mercy's eyes popped as she reacted without thinking as she caught the baby in her arms. He was lively and squirmy as she pulled him into her body instinctively sitting him on her hip, he giggled as he pawed her chest inspecting the new person. Maggie smiled turning her body. "And this is Sophia."

Mercy's eyes went from the baby boy to the blonde girl as she waved her over. She moved towards her and Maggie extended her arms to get Hershel back from her as she took the last empty spot at the bench.

"Hey," Sophia smiled. "Nice to meet you,"

"Yeah, same." She responded, as her eyes took inventory of her freckled face, skin discolored by old bruises and band aids hiding healing scratches. It seemed unusual given the atmosphere of The Hilltop. This was the third roughed up youth, well fourth, Carl had some old bruises on his own face that she'd noticed upon their last encounter.

"Mom says you're pretty good with a sword, could you show me some of your moves?"

"Yeah sure," She replied absentmindedly, peering past her to Michonne's full plate. "What's good?"

"Everything!" Sophia laughed. "Mom and Andrea are just waiting for Carl to get here."

"Do I have to wait Boss?" She asked Michonne as she glanced back at Maggie and Andrea.

Michonne shrugged.

"You go on ahead," Maggie finally conceded. "You too Sophia."

"Great I'm starving!" Sophia called grabbing Mercy's hand and pulling her up to her feet after her.

Sophia led her to the front where all the food was set up, Mercy recognized Susan in the back busy serving hungry civilians.

"So, you know, right? What's up with Carl and that girl?" Sophia asked as they joined the end of the line, immediately her eyes shot around looking to see if anyone might be listening. Her eyes fell back on Sophia.

"What do you know about her?" Mercy asked in a hushed tone stepping in close to Sophia.

"All I know is that Jesus brought her, Mom won't tell me much." She replied. "I don't like her."

Mercy looked at her, her brow furrowed and her lips in a pout.

"All I know is things were fine before she got here. Carl was working with Mr. Sutton, and we'd hang out and talk, now he spends all his time with her. I tried talking to her but she's… weird."

Mercy nodded slowly, she was surprised by her lack of information on the matter. Not only that but it seemed her perspective was a social concern, as opposed to a possible serious civil threat. In truth had he been anyone else, or had the girl not come from the Whisperers she'd have no involvement in it at all.

Sophia quickly changed the topic and continued talking, Mercy smiled as she half listened to Sophia. It was an interesting realization, very much like at the Kingdom, most youths her age were still kind of regard as kids. Still free to spend their time freely, with some semblance of a part time job or apprenticeship to pass the time. She was an anomaly, both here and there. She had responsibilities and a position serving the ruler of a community. How could it be so different, which was the right way to go? She certainly didn't feel like anything had been taken from her. Frankly, she didn't know what she'd do if it wasn't being in the service of someone like King Ezekiel or Michonne.

Suddenly she spotted him entering the mess hall with the blonde girl at his side. She turned her gaze away, purposely back towards Sophia.

"I heard King Ezekiel used to have a tiger!?" Sophia continued. "What was it like?"

Mercy turned her body stretching. Another annoying similarity; being at The Hilltop, much like being within the Kingdom meant less physical work to do. Even with her light practice, it felt like her body was compressing from disuses and she kept having to stretch and work this bored tension out of her body.

She casually glanced back at the table as she explained about Shiva, when she caught his eye on her again. Her back stiffened as her temperature spiked, she'd never been so blatantly stared at! She rolled her shoulders and stretched her arms. She tried to focus on Sophia, but it felt like something was boring into her skin. She peeked back over her shoulder, he wasn't looking in her direction. But she still felt she was being scrutinized, she couldn't escape the feeling in the slow-moving line. She turned around and scanned the dining area, it was blue eyes she found locked on her, Lydia.

Mercy straightened, lifting her chin and glared back. Lydia was dangerous, it came off of her like an aura. The look in her piercing eyes, reminded her of Shiva. What was worse was that everyone seemed oblivious to it.

The moment that Carl rejoined her that ill-intent was masked by a pleasant smile, gentle touch, and closeness. Carl looked over at her, she eased her features but couldn't purge the distaste. She simply rolled her eyes and turned back to Sophia.

Dinner at the table was strangely divided, on one side Andrea, Carl, and Lydia. On the other side, Maggie with Hershel on her lap, Sophia and Mercy accompanied by Michonne. Michonne and Andrea caught up. Maggie spent some time wrestling food into Hershel's mouth as Sophia and Mercy, seemed to find endless topics to chat about.

In her opinion, it seemed a way to blatantly alienate Carl on Sophia's part. Not that she didn't enjoy the ridiculous amount of chatter speeding out of the girl's mouth, she was just not used to being a part of it so much. She had friends and knew everyone at the Kingdom, but nothing like this. Is this what being a kid entailed? From time to time, her eyes glanced over in his direction as he quietly and uncomfortably ate, trapped between Andrea and Lydia, unable to comfortably talk to either.

Glancing in Lydia's direction revealed unrelenting blue eyes, trying to pull her part. The same eyes she met with a quick back step outside of The Hilltop wall, that resulted with her on the ground. The distance between them now was identical to their previous encounter and despite the different surroundings, Mercy couldn't help feeling distrusting of this girl. Her preferred method would be to engage her, and smack that look and all her thoughts into the open.

But the disturbance and possible chaos and injury would be unsightly, so she settled by following Sophia's lead and simply smiling, laughing and chatting to augment their awkwardness and discomfort.

At the end of dinner two very different points of view watched her depart the mess hall behind Michonne.


End file.
